Mental Health | YOU CAN DO THIS PROJECT

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“We Can Do This”: Vol. 3

This is the third episode of “We Can Do This” – a series of group videos where people with diabetes come together around a common topic and share their diagnosis stories, lessons learned, and advice for others. Launched in 2012, the first video showcased five people who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as adults, while the second featured three people who live with diabetes-related anxiety.

Something that many people living with diabetes (of any type) face is the persistence of stereotypes and stigmas. You may have faced some of these inaccurate, and sometimes offensive, comments yourself – that people with diabetes “can’t eat candy”; that all you have to do is just take your medication and it all just works out; that type 1 only happens to kids (and they somehow magically will outgrow it); that type 2 diabetes is somehow “earned” due to obesity or laziness.

The truth is that type 2 diabetes exists on a large spectrum, and there is still much to learn about why and how it occurs, and in whom. Not every person diagnosed with type 2 diabetes fits the stereotypes, and we’d like to introduce you to a few: Phyllisa, Rachel, Joe, and Sue.

Category:

Adults, Athletes, Daily Living, Diagnosed as an Adult, Diagnosis Stories, Encouragement, Group Videos, Guilt, Mental Health, Type 2, Videos, We Can Do This video series

Video: Emily

Contributor: Emily; http://aimingforaverage-a1c.blogspot.com/

Connection: Adult with type 1 diabetes

Quote: “A lot of people sympathize with me when they hear that I have to inject myself with a huge needle every three days when I change my infusion site. I guess it’s easy for non-diabetics to sympathize with the physical pain, because that’s something they can understand or have experienced themselves, but what they can’t understand is the other kinds of pain that come with this disease: the loneliness of feeling like you’re the only one having to deal with it, the anger and self-pity that comes when you’re wondering, ‘Why me?’, and the frustration and disappointment when your A1C comes back too high.”

Category:

Adults, Burnout, Daily Living, Diagnosed as a Child, Insulin Pumps and CGMs, Mental Health, No One Gets It, Type 1, Videos

“We Can Do This”: Vol. 2

(For those who live with anxiety, even talking or reading about anxiety can be a trigger, so please proceed with caution before watching the video below.)

You may remember the “We Can Do This” video from this past April, in which five people who were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as adults shared their diagnosis stories, lessons learned and advice for others who may be going through the same thing.

Keeping in line with that format, Vol. 2 gives a glimpse into the life of people who live with both anxiety and diabetes (or care for someone with diabetes). People already living with diabetes are about 20 percent more likely than those without diabetes to have an anxiety condition at some point in their lifetime, and it’s a topic that many are uncomfortable talking about.

And because the You Can Do This Project centers around the idea of opening up about the tough stuff – that’s exactly what Kate, Alexis, and Hallie did.

To connect with others with diabetes and anxiety, check out the new community “Anxious You Anxious Me” on Facebook and Twitter. You may also email Alexis directly at Anxietyyouanxietyme@gmail.com.

Category:

Adults, Daily Living, Encouragement, Group Videos, Importance of Community, Mental Health, Parents, Type 1, Videos, We Can Do This video series

Video: Joe Solowiejczyk

Contributor: Joe; Children With Diabetes

Connection: Adult with type 1 diabetes

Quote: “For me, the most difficult thing to come to terms with has been dealing with feelings of anger, rage, and frustration. I used to think that if I had those feelings, I was doing something wrong. It took me a long time and a lot of work to come to the realization and understanding that feelings are just a guide, and not a sign of whether I’m doing well or not.”

Category:

"Veteran" PWDs (20+ years), Adults, Burnout, Daily Living, Depression, Encouragement, Mental Health, Type 1, Videos

Video: Josh Bliel

Contributor: Josh Bliel; community spokesperson for the Indianapolis Colts

Connection: No known personal connection to diabetes; Iraq war veteran with double leg amputation.

Quote: “It was a big realization for me that other people deal with things too, and it’s normal. It’s okay to feel angry.”

Category:

Adults, Importance of Community, Inspiration, Mental Health, Videos

Video: Steve

Contributor: Steve Richert; livingvertical.org

Connection: Adult with type 1 diabetes

Quote: “My biggest challenge has always been staying positive and keeping my mind focused on what I want and what I want to do, as opposed to what I’m afraid of and what I’m worried about. If I can climb a mountain and live with diabetes, you can pursue your passion [too]. Don’t let diabetes stop you.”

Category:

Adults, Athletes, Encouragement, Inspiration, Mental Health, Type 1, Videos

Video: Mike

Contributor: Mike; www.diabetesmine.com

Connection: Person with type 1 diabetes

Standout Quote: “It’s been tough sometimes – a lot times, especially as a teenager or in my early 20′s, that I just wanted to give up. I had a lot of burnout, and I wanted to be ‘normal’ – whatever that means – and I really wish I would have been able to find somebody to talk to, to realize that I was not alone. That there were other people out there going through the same things that I was going through and struggling with. I knew that there were others, but I could never really find them and I didn’t really want to talk about my diabetes.”

Category:

"Veteran" PWDs (20+ years), Adults, Burnout, Complications, Depression, Diagnosed as a Child, Importance of Community, Mental Health, Type 1, Videos, Work and Diabetes

Blog: Simon

Contributor: Simon; www.diabetesdaily.com/forum/blogs/simon-from-the-70s

Connection: Person with type 1/LADA diabetes

Blog post: http://www.diabetesdaily.com/forum/blogs/simon-from-the-70s/5909-journey-man

“This is how my ten days in hospital with life threatening infections and severe DKA played out. All but blind and with limited mobility, I came face to face not only with insulin dependent diabetes but the reality that those I had long counted friends had abandoned me. I was no ordinary person then and 18 months later I am still no ordinary person.

Still enduring a string of medical appointments and physical pain from complications I am making a go of things. Working consecutive sixty hour weeks I’m sending out a signal to those “friends” who left me lying in ward. It’s a shout out to all of those who said I’d never make it back and it was all my fault…..I can do this and I am doing this.”

Category:

Adults, Blog Posts, Complications, Diagnosed as an Adult, Diagnosis Stories, Importance of Community, LADA, Mental Health, Type 1

Video: Alexis

Contributor: Alexis; http://justicesmisbehavingpancreas.blogspot.com/

Connection: Parent of a child with type 1 diabetes

Standout Quote: “Seeing him low or high just breaks my soul; my heart. But I’m at a point where I’m grateful: that I have insulin in the fridge, syringes, sites, cartridges, pump, a great endo, I have you guys… no, this isn’t the life that I would have chosen, but this is the hand we were dealt so I feel like I need to play it well.”

Category:

Daily Living, Depression, Diagnosis Stories, Encouragement, Importance of Community, Mental Health, Parents, Type 1, Videos

Video: Sarah

Contributor: Sarah; @SugabeticMe

Connection: Person with type 1 diabetes

Standout Quote: “One thing to remember about diabetes is that it can be stressful; it can be hard. Every day is a struggle. It is a battle to try and look normal, act normal, be like everybody else and still fall within the guidelines that are set for us to be so ‘perfect’, [by] the medical community. Looking back, I’m telling you – never let diabetes stop you from doing the things you want to do.”

Category:

"Veteran" PWDs (20+ years), Adults, Burnout, Daily Living, Depression, Diagnosed as a Child, Encouragement, High A1C, Mental Health, No One Gets It, Pregnancy, Type 1, Videos